Mughal-handled dagger with Chinese mounts. Steel and rock cr - Lot 96

Mughal-handled dagger with Chinese mounts. Steel and rock crystal, leather scabbard on wooden core, gilded copper mounts. India and China, 18th century. Length: 44 cm. Gross weight without scabbard: 356.7 g. Expert : A.R. The crook-shaped Mughal handle of this khanjar is made of rock crystal, carved with delicate iris and vegetal motifs. The lightly cloudy rock crystal has been skilfully carved with florets, to camouflage the slightest imperfections. The double-edged steel blade is probably Chinese, as is the leather-covered scabbard with gilded copper mounts, finely chased with floral motifs. A Mughal dagger with a comparable rock crystal handle is published in: Hales, R. (2013) Islamic and Oriental arms and armour: a lifetime's passion, Robert Hales C.I. Ltd, p. 24, n°60. Another is held at LACMA (inv. no. M.76.2.18).